Method of coking hydrocarbon material



Feb. '9,-.1937. A. J. BOYNTON METHOD OF COKING HYDROCARBON MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1934 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 PATENT OFFICE- METHOD OF CO KING HYDROCARBON TERIAL Arthur J. Boynton, Winnetka; 111., assignor to Brassert-Tidewater Development Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application February 11, 1934, serial No. 711,665

1Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved method for the coking of bituminous or asphaltic liquids, pitches, petroleum residues and other fluid or semi-fluid compounds which'may or may not contain entrained solid fuels.

It is to be understood that the invention relates to the treatment of materials of this character which are normally fiuid or which may be ren-' dered fluid by heat so as to be fluid under the conditions of the treatment. It is to be further understood that the invention relates to treatment of materials which contain entrained solid matter such as carbon or the like, due to the Y nature of the materials themselves or to which solid materials have been added, the liquid portions serving as a carrying medium for the solids.

' through the mass. I have discovered that by feeding the charge into a coking chamber at a rate which bears a. definite relation to the heat brought into the chamber by the vapors and by properly distributing the vapor flow throughout the chamber, the heat exchange may -be substantially equalized throughout the area. The vapors are led across the upper surface of the coking mass so as to permit, direct conduction of heat to the coking mass. In order to equalize this heat transfer thedirection of flow and point of introduction may be periodically reversed. L The heating gases are preferably introduced along one side of the chamber and discharged from the other together with volatiles which are driven off from the charge being treated. The point of introduction is preferably adjacent the highest point attained by the progressive building up of the coke layer and directed toward that layer, and its direction is preferably downward so that the velocity of the incoming gases will force them in contact with the surface of the coking mass.

Duplicate ports will preferably be provided on opposite sides of the chamber and will serve alternately for introducing the gases, and removing the volatile products of the process. In a preferred method the charge is fed onto the floor by increments so that only a small amount is exposed to the heated gases at one time. In this way the coke layer is built up in steps and the volatile matter left in it can be more easily controlled. There will be, therefore, no necessity for heat rial.

transfer through any great thickness of the mate- It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for coking materials of the character described.

It is a further object to provide a method whereby the coking may be carried on without the application of external heat.

It is an additional object to provide a method in which the heat is appliedby gaseous medium 10 directly to the coking surface.

It is also an object to provide a method whereby it is unnecessary to transmit the heat through any portion of previously coked material.

It is an additional object to provide a method 15 whereby the application of heat to the material being treated may be equalized over the area of such material.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an oven to one form of construction;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified form 'of construction;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line according -5-5 of Figure 6; and

Figure-6 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 66 of Figure 4.

Referring first to the form of construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the horizontal metallic shell II is supported on a base l2 and contains a refractory lining l3 which forms a coking chamber l4 having a fiat floor I5 and an arched roof IS. The ends of the chamber are closed by removable doors II. A platform I8 is shown at each end of the oven for use in pushing coke out of the oven. The upper portion of the oven is provided with the intake l9 connected to header 20, which serves for the introduction of the hydrocarbon material being treated. A burn-out relief passage 2| is located in the top of the chamber..

The left side of the chamber, as seen in Figure 3, is provided with a series of nozzles or tuyres 22 which are connected-with a' header 23 and serve for the introduction of the gases or vapors which serve to carry the heat into the coking operation. The opposite side of the oven is provided with a series of ports 24 connected to headas being oval in cross section. It contains the refractory lining 3| forming the chamber 32 having a flat floor'33 and an archedroof 34. The heating passages 35 are located below the floor ,33 and may be fed with fuel for combustion through nozzles 25. These passages 35 communirate with longitudinal flue 36 which in turn communicates with the ofltake flues 31. The header 38, which serves for the introduction of the heating medium, is connected through valve 33 to a cross header T 40. Valves 4| and 42 are provided on either side of the T and connect into the header branches 43 and 44. These head-,-

ers and 44, join the ofltake T 45 through valves 46 and 41. The T 45 leads through passage 48 to-ofltake passage 49 which is shown as connected to a bubble tower or fractionating apparatus 50.

The header, 4: is provided with a plurality of ports 5| which discharge downwardly into the chamber 32 in a line directed toward the floor thereof or toward the layer of coke forming on the floor. The "header is similarly provided with a plurality of ports 52 communicating with the chamber 32. This form of oven, is provided with a pipe 53 which serves to introduce the material being treated through the pipe 54 di} rected into the top of the chamber. This pipe 54 is controlled by valve 55. The chamber is also provided with a bum-out or blow-on discharge passage 55. The ends of the oven are closed by removable doors 5'! and 53.

In the operation of the form of oven shown in Figures 1 to 3, the material to be treated, which as has been stated, is in fluent form, is deposited through passage l9 onto the floor of the cham her. In starting up the process, however, the

gases which serve'to heat the chamber will first be introduced for a period through ports 22 so,

as to heat up the chamber and bring the refractory floor and lining up to substantially coking temperature. The flow of material to be treated is then started and this material spreads out in a. relatively thin layer on the flat floor and gradually builds up. As it builds up it is reduced to coke by heat transmitted from the non-oxidizing gases introduced through the ports or nozzles 22. The flow of gas and'oi' the material to be treated will be preferably so related that the coking takes place at 'substantially the same rate as the input of material. The gases, after they have given off their heat, are drawn through ports 24 and header 25 carrying with them the volatiles liberated from the material being treated. After .the desired thickness of coke has been formed;

the flow of material to be treated is cut oil 2,069,815 through pipe IS. The flow of gases may be continued for a period so as. to fully cokethe last material to be deposited. The flow of gases is then stopped and the chamber may be steamed out, after which the end doors may be opened and the iormed layer of coke. forced out by means of mechanical pushing or pulling apparatus.

The form of construction of Figures 4, 5 and"6 is operated in much the same manner.- In this form'of construction, however, the floor of the oven may be heated by external application of heat through the flues 35. This heating may take place intermittently or throughout the process, as desired. In one method of operating the flues would, be used merely to heat up the oven before starting. In another meth- 0d thefines may be used during the initial treatment of each successive charge and heat partly or entirely cut on after the charge builds up to substantial thickness, so that it acts as a heat insulaton' The main portion of the heat for the coking operation, however, is preferably supplied by gases which are introduced through either the series of ports 5| or the series of ports 52. It will be understood that with valves 4| and 4'! closed, and valve 39 open, the hot gases used as the heating medium will follow the arrows in Figures 4 and 5 and be discharged into the coking chamber through the ports 5|. These gases will impinge on the floor. or on the coke layer thereon and will pass across the oven and out through the ports 52 where they will follow the arrows throughheader 44, valve and oiftake passages 43 and 43 to the treatment chamber 50. By closing valves 42' and 45 and opening valves 4| and 41 the direction of flow of the gases across the chamber will be reversed. An intermittent reversal of flow during the process serves to equalize the heat supplied to yarious portions of the layers so as to give a more uniform thickness and qualityof coke on difl'erent parts of the floor. Coke will be removed from the oven of this form of construction in the same manner as that described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3.

It will be understood that these forms of construction are merely illustrative and that I contemplate such further changes and modifications as come within vention.

I claim:

The method of coking hydrocarbon materialv in fluent form, which comprises progressively de-' positing a layer of such materials in a closed55 chamber, passing over and in contact with the the spirit and scope of my inupper surface of said layer as itis formeda 

